Our Vision
To be a national and Regional/international hub for dynamic, industry-oriented skills development for school-to-work trainees/students, the unemployed, those in job transition, and industry professionals — with the Spirit of Don Bosco.
About the Institute
Hands-On Skills.
Real Employment.
Discover the story, purpose and partnerships behind Don Bosco Technical Institute, Ashaiman.
Established 1999
Who we are
27+ Years of Hands-On Skills and Employment Transition in Ashaiman
Don Bosco Technical Institute (DBTI), Ashaiman, was established in 1999 as a non-profit Christian institution, serving young people according to the precepts of the Catholic Church and the spirit of St. John Bosco. The Institute is managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco, under an agreement with the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra — a social initiative addressing unemployment and the lack of skilled manpower through market-based, hands-on technical training, sensitive to the socio-economic needs of Ghana’s less privileged youth.
For more than 27 years, the Salesians have operated in Ashaiman, running Technical and Vocational Training that began in the Salesians’ own way, before entering into partnership with the Government of Ghana — a partnership that continued until 2017. At that point, the Salesian Superiors recognised that the school’s own distinctive pedagogical approach — focused on proper hands-on training rather than theory — had been diluted by being managed more like a conventional grammar school under government administration. The Salesians made the decision to take the school back under their own direct management, restoring their founding emphasis on practical, industry-ready skill development.
Between 2017 and 2019, DBTI Ashaiman received a major project — BINA, an Arabic term meaning “To Build” — funded through BMZ (the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) via Sequa, the German government’s implementing partner. The project was fully funded from 2019 through 2022/2023, with a four-month extension into the first quarter of 2023, deepening the Institute’s hands-on training model across its trade areas.
Today, DBTI Ashaiman runs a distinctive, intensive training model: one-year courses in Electrical, Hospitality/Catering, Refrigeration/Air-Conditioning, Cosmetology, and Automobile, each structured in three focused phases — Basic, Advanced, and Internship/Employment of three months apiece. Alongside its core trades, the Institute runs a Driving School, a Solar Training extension course, and ICT short courses, serving a diverse trainee body: recent SHS/TVET graduates building a first skill, university graduates seeking a practical trade, and industry professionals upgrading their expertise. Through its participation in the VIS Ghana SEE Project, supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), DBTI Ashaiman now strengthens its digital future — redeveloping its institutional website, modernising its ICT laboratory, and building stronger digital communication with the community it serves.
For more than 27 years, the Salesians have operated in Ashaiman, running Technical and Vocational Training that began in the Salesians’ own way, before entering into partnership with the Government of Ghana — a partnership that continued until 2017. At that point, the Salesian Superiors recognised that the school’s own distinctive pedagogical approach — focused on proper hands-on training rather than theory — had been diluted by being managed more like a conventional grammar school under government administration. The Salesians made the decision to take the school back under their own direct management, restoring their founding emphasis on practical, industry-ready skill development.
Between 2017 and 2019, DBTI Ashaiman received a major project — BINA, an Arabic term meaning “To Build” — funded through BMZ (the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) via Sequa, the German government’s implementing partner. The project was fully funded from 2019 through 2022/2023, with a four-month extension into the first quarter of 2023, deepening the Institute’s hands-on training model across its trade areas.
Today, DBTI Ashaiman runs a distinctive, intensive training model: one-year courses in Electrical, Hospitality/Catering, Refrigeration/Air-Conditioning, Cosmetology, and Automobile, each structured in three focused phases — Basic, Advanced, and Internship/Employment of three months apiece. Alongside its core trades, the Institute runs a Driving School, a Solar Training extension course, and ICT short courses, serving a diverse trainee body: recent SHS/TVET graduates building a first skill, university graduates seeking a practical trade, and industry professionals upgrading their expertise. Through its participation in the VIS Ghana SEE Project, supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), DBTI Ashaiman now strengthens its digital future — redeveloping its institutional website, modernising its ICT laboratory, and building stronger digital communication with the community it serves.
350Trainees & Students
24Instructors & Staff
1,200Graduates & Alumni
Our direction
Purpose that guides practical learning
Our Mission
To promote practical (hands-on), dynamic technical and vocational skills development, lifelong learning opportunities, employment transition, industry collaboration, entrepreneurship, technology, and a green environment.
Core Values
Values we put into practice
Our shared Salesian standards shape how we teach, learn and serve our community.
Excellence
We pursue quality, industry standards, and practical mastery in every technical discipline.
Integrity & Honesty
We educate in the Catholic Salesian tradition of moral formation, truthfulness, and trustworthy character.
Teamwork
We foster collaboration, mutual respect, and shared responsibility across our workshop and campus community.
Determination & Dedication
We build discipline and steadfast commitment to craft mastery and personal development.
Perseverance & Hard Work
We instill resilient work attitudes that prepare our graduates for sustainable employment and entrepreneurship.
Innovation & Creativity
We embrace modern technology, creative problem-solving, and green environmental practices.
Our story
Milestones in our journey
Founding in the Spirit of St. John Bosco
Don Bosco Technical Institute, Ashaiman, was established in 1999 as a non-profit Christian institution managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco under an agreement with the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, addressing youth unemployment with hands-on skills.
Restoring Pure Practical Hands-On Training
Salesian Superiors made the strategic decision to take the Institute back under direct management, restoring its distinctive pedagogical approach focused on proper hands-on, industry-ready skill development over grammar-school theory.
The BINA Project ("To Build")
Through BMZ and Sequa, DBTI received the BINA project ("To Build") funded through 2022/2023, deepening the Institute’s intensive three-phase practical training model across its trade areas.
Expanding Core Trades, Driving School & Solar Training
Consolidation of the one-year intensive trade curriculum in Electrical, Hospitality, Refrigeration/AC, Cosmetology, and Automobile, alongside standard and heavy-duty Driving School (Forklift, Crane, Reach Stacker), Solar extension, and ICT.
Digital Transformation with VIS Ghana & AICS
Through the SEE Project, supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and VIS Ghana, DBTI modernises its ICT laboratory, redevelops its web presence, and empowers staff and trainees with digital competencies.
Salesian Leadership & Catholic Governance
Governance and Institutional Structure
Don Bosco Technical Institute, Ashaiman, is a non-profit, faith-based institution managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco under an agreement with the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra. The Institute is administered by the Principal, supported by the JSO/Liaison Officer and a dedicated ICT Head of Department, and maintains an institutional ICT policy governing equipment use.
DBTI Ashaiman’s training model is distinct within the Salesian network in Ghana: rather than the standard three-year CTVET certificate pathway, the Institute delivers intensive, one-year, industry-linked trade programmes reflecting its founding focus on rapid, hands-on skills transition into employment.
DBTI Ashaiman’s training model is distinct within the Salesian network in Ghana: rather than the standard three-year CTVET certificate pathway, the Institute delivers intensive, one-year, industry-linked trade programmes reflecting its founding focus on rapid, hands-on skills transition into employment.
Collaborative Impact
Partnerships that Support Our Mission
DBTI Ashaiman’s journey has been strengthened through collaborative partnerships:
• Salesians of Don Bosco — The Catholic religious congregation that has managed DBTI Ashaiman since 1999, in the spirit of St. John Bosco.
• Catholic Archdiocese of Accra — Partner under whose agreement the Salesians manage the Institute.
• Government of Ghana — Historic training partner from the Institute’s early years until 2017.
• BMZ & Sequa — Funding and implementing partners behind the BINA project (2017–2023), which strengthened DBTI’s hands-on training model.
• Don Bosco Virtual Training Institute — The wider Salesian e-learning network connecting DBTI trainees to digital resources.
• VIS Ghana & AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) — Supporting DBTI through the SEE Project with web redevelopment, ICT equipment, and digital visibility.
• Industry Partners — Employers hosting DBTI graduates for internship and employment placements across all trade areas.
• Salesians of Don Bosco — The Catholic religious congregation that has managed DBTI Ashaiman since 1999, in the spirit of St. John Bosco.
• Catholic Archdiocese of Accra — Partner under whose agreement the Salesians manage the Institute.
• Government of Ghana — Historic training partner from the Institute’s early years until 2017.
• BMZ & Sequa — Funding and implementing partners behind the BINA project (2017–2023), which strengthened DBTI’s hands-on training model.
• Don Bosco Virtual Training Institute — The wider Salesian e-learning network connecting DBTI trainees to digital resources.
• VIS Ghana & AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) — Supporting DBTI through the SEE Project with web redevelopment, ICT equipment, and digital visibility.
• Industry Partners — Employers hosting DBTI graduates for internship and employment placements across all trade areas.
Beyond the workshop
Trainee Life, Mentorship & Formation
Campus life at DBTI Ashaiman fosters holistic formation through the Salesian Preventive System of reason, religion, and loving-kindness. Trainees receive soft skills training, digital literacy in basic ICT, spiritual guidance, sports, and workplace transition mentorship alongside their technical craft.
